Does IPL or a photofacial effectively treat rosacea?

IPL (intense pulsed light) can be very effective in treating redness on the skin, including rosacea, especially if you are fair skinned. Rosacea unfortunately cannot be cured permanently at this time, but IPL can certainly help to manage it, and I have seen great results at my practice in achieving an even skin tone that can last for years with proper maintenance. V-beam is also a great laser for treating redness.

Our office has many different treatments for scars depending on the depth of atrophy or hypertrophy. Scars require a combination approach using our HI DEF protocol which uses a combination of lasers, topical scar modulation, and RF treatments to pixelate scars, improve contour, reduce hyperpigmentation, and improve the visibility of the scars so that they are no longer visible in ambient light. Everyone has a unique pattern of scarring and we employ our HIDEF technique to improve texture, color, contour, and topography. We often use a combination of treatments that begin with a careful examination to examine the micro texturing of the acne scars. Atrophic scars and indented scars can benefit from injectable fillers such as Radiesse, Sculptra, and Restylane with or without subcision to remove tethered scars and atrophic depression. Hyper-redness in scars can be improved with V beam laser, Excel V, BBL, IPL, and Venus RF to improve the redness and reduce the visibility of deep scars. Fractional Thulium laser and clear & brilliant can also reduce the inflammation and redness of the scar when combined with topical therapy. Fractional lasers such as Fraxel, erbium, and CO2 laser can be combined with radio frequency and also fractional RF to improve textual issues and microtopography. Subcision and TCA cross are also used for deep ice pick scars and narrow valley scars in order to improve the micro texture. Above all, our combination approach with our clinical nurses and board-certified plastic surgeons can improve the quality of your skin by using at home Melarase creams combined with PRP treatments in our office to improve your skin quality and tone. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with an experienced team of experts in order to reduce your scarring.

Finally, hyperpigmentation of scars can be improved with at-home Melarase AM, Melarase PM, and Melapads to help reduce active PIH and melanin deposition.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

thank you for your question.  IPL treatment treats red vessels, hyperpigmentation and it improves the texture of your skin by producing collagen and elastin. you will pepper after the treatment and the dark spots will appear darker before they flake off. do not be alarmed.  This takes 2-4 days depending on your skin type and the intensity of the treatment.Always consult with a physician to make sure you are a good candidate.

IPL photorejuvenation can help to improve the appearance of redness and rosacea.  It can also help improve the appearance of brown pigmentation and age spots.  It is a procedure with a very minimal downtime.
Another good option to correct redness and rosacea is a 595 nm pulsed dye laser (e.g. V Beam).  This can be combined with IPL.
Of course, basic skin care measures and strict sun protection are also essential components of rosacea management.
If you would like to learn more about the procedure I recommend an in person consultation with a board certified dermatologist with cosmetic training.

Rosacea is a generic term used to describe redness of the face, often with associated hypervascularity.  Treating rosacea often involves investigating the inciting cause of redness (there is a whole list) and this can be coupled with either IPL or a laser device.  The newer IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) systems are much more effective at treating than older devices.  This is in part due to changes in flash lamp technology and other tweaks in the technology such as placement of cutoff filters.  Since rosacea is a chronic condition patients will often need repeated treatments of IPL or any other treatment to be effective.

IPL can be great for rosacea and vessels on the face. You can greatly minimize redness and close off vessels depending on the severity of the rosacea or vessels.  How long the redness stays away and the vessels stay closed is something that is monitored after a treatment. However, many patients diagnosed with rosacea will need multiple treatments until they plateau with results.  This process is often repeated every couple of years. Many patients maintain results well by doing a touch up treatment a few times a year.